Talking machine with repetition device



March 5,1940.

TALKING MACHINE WITH REPETITION DEVICE Filed Nov. 3, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l Ia e 225 J. L.ROUTIN I 2,192,757

March 5, 1940. J, om-m.

' TALKING MACHINE WITH REPETITION DEVICE Filed Nov. 3, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 5, 1940. J. L. ROUTIN 2,192,757

TALKING MACHINE WITH REPETITION DEVICE Filed Nov. 3 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 5, 1940. J. L. ROUTIN TALKING MACHINE WITH REPETITION DEVICE 4 Sheets-Shae; 4

Filed NOV. 3, 1936 Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES TALKING MACHINE WITH REPETITION DEVICE Joseph Louis Routin, Paris, France Application November 3, 1936, Serial No. 108,987 In France November 23, 1935 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a sound re-' producing machine provided with a mechanism rendering it possible to repeat automatically either a predetermined passage of a record or the ri whole of said record, wherein the arm carrying the sound box of the machine is operated by a cam device constituting an adjustable abutment, in such manner as to raise it from the record at the termination of an audition, move it to a n different radial position on the record and to replace it on the record.

The principal feature of the improvement according to the present invention resides in the fact that in a sound reproducing machine of the 7 aforesaid kind, the adjustment of the position of the cam device constituting an adjustable abutment instead of being effected by means of a worm as in known devices is effected by means of a lever co-operating with said cam device and adapted to be set in any desirable suitable position.

A further feature of the invention resides in the fact that the repetition mechanism is actuated by a mechanical clutch controlled by a chrono- 315 metric device adapted to render it possible to obtain at will adjustable durations of auditions, varying for example from one to twenty seconds. A still further feature of the invention consists in providing in a sound reproducing machine a 20 device comprising a cam device which co-operates with a hammer mounted on a resilient member, the said hammer serving to cause the opening of the box which contains the reserve needles.

The schematic Figure 1, given by way of exm ample, shows how the mechanism may be constructed, which is used in order to eiiect successively the raising of the needle, its radial displacement towards the periphcry of the record, and then its replacement again in contact with the record, without any shock occurring.

The schematic Figures 2 and 3 given by way of example show respectively, in partial elevation and in partial cross section, taken on line X Y 43 of Fig. 2, how the automatic actuation of the mechanism shown in Fig. '1 could be brought about.

The schematic figure 4, given by way of example, shows an alternative arrangement of the 5g motor control, shown in Fig. 2.

The schematic Figures 5 and 6 given by way of example show complementary parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

The schematic Figures '7, 8, 9 given by way of 55 example. show how the improvement relating to (Cl. WI L-15) the shaping of the abutment and the selector with graduated dials could be carried into eifect.

The schematic Figure 10 shows an embodiment of an alarm arrangement indicating the moment when the needle should be changed.

The schematic Figure 11 shows how the different parts could be arranged.

The schematic Figure 12 shows how the lighting of the dials could be made.

In Figure 1, (1 denotes a gramophone pick-up mounted on an arm I) which is adapted to move about an axis 0 supported by a vertical rod Ill; 1? denotes a vertical rod carried by lil; d denotes a horizontal support integral with a sleeve 3 which is adapted to rotate in a fixed vertical bearing 4; e denotes a horizontal knife edge member carried by d; 1 denotes a longitudinal slot formed in 11 through which the rod i2 passes; I3 denotes a cylindrical member which is adapted to rotate around 4 and is provided with two guide edges l5 and H5 inclined in opposite directions and arranged in such a way as to constitute a V-shaped notch; Hi denotes a lever rendering it possible (as will be explained later on) to fix l3 in any selected rotary position; 2% denotes a lever which is adapted to rotate around a fixed horizontal axis 2|v and which carries a roller 22; 20 denotes a boss carried by Eli and against which IB is constantly applied by a spring [8; 58 denotes a cam which can rotate around ii; and which is provided along its longest radius with a notch 52 into which the roller 22 can enter.

The mode of operation may be explained as follows:

By rotating 5!], vertical displacements of H) are produced. A downward vertical displacement of 10 starting from the highest position produces first a pivoting of 1) around the point of the needle bearing on the record, then a vertical raising of the needle by a rocking of 22 around the knife edge e, and finally, a helicoidal displacement of the needle, the horizontal component of which is produced by the action of one of the guide slopes IE or H5 upon the rod l2. The distance apart of the upper edges of the guide slopes I5 is sufciently great to ensure that the rod i2 is always located above one of them.

When the rod it rises, the needle goes down and lands on the record without any shock and this, at a distance from the centre which is determined by the position given to 13.

In Figures 2 and 3, 46 denotes an axle carried by a suspension loop 41 fixed underneath the upper plate 5 of the gramophone and this axle is driven in the direction of arrow h by the gramophone motor, in such a way as to rotate one turn when the record makes N turns; 48 denotes a ratchet wheel comprising N teeth fixed upon 46; 49 denotes a pinion fixed on 46; 50 denotes a cam integral with sleeve freely mounted upon 46; 52 denotes a notch which is provided in the periphery of 59 and into which roller 22 is adapted to enter (see Fig. 1); 53 denotes a double-armed pawl which carries a front pin 54 and a rear pin 55 and which is adapted to rotate around an axis 56 mounted in a sleeve fixed on 50, whilst remaining constantly urged by a spring 56 in the direction of arrow f2; 51 denotes an abutment which is integral with an arm 58 and which is adapted to rotate around an axis 59, whilst remaining constantly urged in the direction of arrow is by a spring 58' which tends to apply it against a stop pin 60; 6! denotes a suspension loop which is adapted to oscillate around an axis 62; 63 denotes an axle which is mounted upon 6| and which carries a gear 64 which is adapted to come into mesh with 49; 65 denotes a coil spring which, through its connection at one end to the suspension loop 6! and at its other end to the hub of the gear 64, tends constantly to cause 64 to rotate in the direction of arrow f4; 66 denotes a spring which is fixed on the one hand to the fixed suspension loop 41 and on the other hand to the oscillating suspension loop BI and which tends to bring 64 into mesh with 49; 61 denotes a lever which is adapted to rotate around an axis 68 fixed upon 61 whilst remaining constantly urged by aspring 61 in the'direction of arrow is; 69 designates a projecting member which is integral with 61 and which is adapted to be raised by a pin 19 carried by 50; H denotes a piece fixed upon 41 and arranged in such a way that when the extremity of 61 abuts against it, 64 cannot come into contact with 49; 12 denotes a slot provided in 69 in order to render it possible for to escape after having displaced 61 to the right; 13 denotes a pin fixed to 64 and arranged in such a way as to abut against 58 when 64, which is driven by 49 rotates in the opposite direction to that of arrow f4 and the tension of spring 65; 14 denotes a pin which is fixed to 64 and which, when 64 is brought back by spring 65, bears against an arm mounted on an axle 16; 11 denotes a worm gear wheel which is mounted upon 16 and which can be rotated by driving a screw shaft 18; 19 denotes a graduated drum which renders it possible to find opposite a fixed index the position given to 15; 80 denotes a lever mounted upon the pickup arm which rotates in the direction of arrow is when the needle comes near to the centre of the record; 8! denotes a spiral cam which is adapted to be set by a knob 82 mounted upon a graduated dial 83 and which presses on the rear arm 84 of abutment 51, when the needle reaches the end of the record; 85 denotes a lever integral with 6 I; 86 denotes an insulating member which is secured to 85 and which produces the closing of a switch 81 when 85 is lowered; 88 denotes a lever having a stopping notch 89, which is adapted to rotate around 90 and which is constantly driven in the direction of arrow J? by a spring 88; 9| denotes a lever integral with 88 which is adapted to be raised by a cam 92 which can be rotated by operating an actuating knob 93; M denotes the electric motor which actuates the gramophone; 94 denotes two' feeding terminals; 95 denotes a switch actuated by hand, which can be maintained open or closed according to the position given to lever 96;- 91 denotes a flexible cord carrying two leads.

The mode of operation may be explained as follows:

In the position represented on Figs. 2 and 3, the cam 56 is prevented from rotating and (see Fig. 1) as 22 is raised, the needle is in contact with the record. Furthermore the gear 64 being in mesh with 49, if the motor is in action, the pin 13 moves in the direction opposite to f4. As soon as this pin 13 reaches the arm 58, the abutment 51 is driven in the direction opposite to f3; the pawl 53, the pin 55 of which is freed, rotates in the direction of f2 and its front pin 54 comes into contact with the ratchet wheel 48, thereby interlocking 50 with 48.

Cam 56 being then driven in the direction of ii, the pin 10 by pushing on the extremity of 61, displaces 6| towards the right and removes 64 from 49. As soon as gear 64 is disengaged, pin 14 briskly comes back in the direction of f4 under the action of spring 65 until it is stopped by arm '15. The action of 16 upon 61 continues however,

after the disengagement of 64 until the extremity of 61, by rotating in the direction of f5 slips off 1|. Then the pin 19 disengages from 61 by passing through notch 12, and after having made almost a complete turn, raises 61 by engaging the projecting member 69. The spring 66 brings 6| briskly back towards the left, thus enabling 49 to re-engage 64. Immediately after this, 55 abuts against 51, the pin 54 of pawl 53 is uplifted and 59 is temporarily brought back to rest in its initial position, when 22 comes to lodge in the notch 52. The pin 13 being again displaced in the opposite direction to ii, the same series of phenomena will be reproduced indefinitely, and to sum up, it will be clear that the arrangement produces alternatively, on the one hand, the holding at rest of the cam 50 in a position which puts the needle in contact with the record during an interval of time which is indicated on 19 and which can be adjusted at will, by driving 11, in order to displace 15, and, on the other hand, the rotation of cam 59 in direction of ii, in a pre-determined time which corresponds to that which has been allowed in order to eifect the operations consequent upon the displacement of the gramophone arm.

In order to repeate uninterruptedly the audition of the whole record, it is only necessary to operate 93 in such a way that 89 maintains 85 uplifted, thereby preventing 64 from returning into contact with 49. The repetition is obtained in this case by the action, at the end of the record, of the cam 81 upon arm 84 of abutment 51; and it is clear that by rotating 8|, it is possible to adjust this action with precision according to the distance existing between the centre of the record and the last furrow of the record.

It should be remarked that the ratchet wheel 48 having N teeth and making one turn when the record makes N turns, it will be seen that it will always be along the same radius that the contact will be re-established between the needle and the record.

The mode of operation of the motor may be explained as follows:

According to the connections indicated on Fig. 2, it is seen that the repetitions will continue until the two switches 61 and 95 are simultaneously open. It follows, that in case of opening of switch 95, the stopping will not be effected immediately, out only after the opening of switch 81, that is to say, at the end of the audition'of the paragraph being studied.

The arrangement thus constitutes a reliable control of the motor which ensures accuracy in the interruption, as wellas in the resuming of the auditions.

In Figure 4, 265 denotes an operating lever which is adapted to rotate around 266 and which is provided with a stop 261; 268 denotes a bent spring which, by co-operating with two lugs 259 and 21d fixed to 265, renders it possible to stop 265 in accordance with three different positions;

.10 21I denotes a switch which is arranged in the cir- 1 spring cult of the motor of the gramophone and which is mounted upon lever 265; 212 denotes a bent lever which is adapted to rotate around 213 and which carries a roller 214 which is maintained, by a 212 constantly applied against cam 50; 215 denotes an insulating piece which is fixed to 212 and which causes the opening of 2' when, lever 265 having been pushed towards the left, roller 214 is brought to the end of its downward course by the rotation of 50; 216 denotes a manual controlling lever which is integral with 51. The application of this alternative structure comprises the omission of switches 81 and 95 represented on Fig. 2.

25 The mode of operation of this alternative structure is as follows:

When 255 is pushed towards the right, the motor and the repetition mechanism work without interruption, because 2' remains closed and 30 the length of arm 261 is adjusted in such a way ,7 ciated with it so as to occupy that in this position it cannot stop 55.

When 255 is in the median position, 251 by stopping 55, causes the stopping of the repetition mechanism at the end of the paragraph on study and after the lifting of the gramophone arm; but the motor continues to rotate, because, in this position 215 does not reach 21I.

When 265 is pushed towards the left, the repetition mechanism is stopped as explained above; and, moreover, the motor is itself stopped by the action of 215 upon 2" when 214 is brought to the end of its course by the rotation of 50, that is to say, at the moment when the pick-up arm has just completed its lifting movement.

The advantage presented by the adjunction of lever 216 consists, particularly, in rendering it possible, in the course of a recapitulation, to take up again instantaneously any passage of the record.

In Figure 5, where a certain number of parts represented in Fig, 2, are found again, I05 denotes a second ratchet wheel which is fixed to 48 and which carries a larger number of teeth; I05 denotes a fixed inclined guide (mounted upon 41) against which the end of the axle 55 of the pawl 53 is, at each turn of 50, temporarily applied by a spring 55'; 5% denotes, as previously, one of the pins or beaks of the pawl, but its shape is such that it engages first, with I05, and then with 48, when 58 has traversed in the upward direction the guide slope I00.

It is obvious that the adjuction of this arrangement renders it possible to adjust the duration of the audition with a greater precision, as the cam BI! is driven on as soon as 54 falls into one of the teeth of I05.

In Fig. 6, I01 denotes a metallic sector integral with 3; I08 denotes a lever which is adapted to rotate around a horizontal axle I09 and which carries at its end a resilient braking member I I; I I I denotes a spring which tends to pull IIO away from I01 and to apply I00 against an abutment H2; H3 denotes a cam which is integral with the cam 50 shown in Fig. 1 and which is assothe position in which it is shown when the needle is in contact with the record.

The cam H3 being carried with cam 50 in the direction of arrow f1 it is immediately seen that, as soon as cam II3 has rotated half a turn and until it has come back into the position in which it is shown, that is to say, during all the time that the descending movement of the needle lasts, all movement of rotation of the pick-up arm will be rendered impossible, due to a brake-couple developed by the contact between IIO against I01. It is further clear that complete freedom will be given to the pick-up arm as soon as the needle has made contact again with the record.

In Figs? and 9, I I8 denotes a graduated toothed sector which is supported by two small columns H9 and I20 on the upper plate of the gramophone; I2I and I22 denote two arcuate slots made in H8; I23 denotes a pawl pivotally mounted on an eccentric I5I carried by an axle I50; I24 denotes a spring arranged in such a way as to apply I23 against the teeth of H8; I25 denotes a small lever which renders it possible to take I23 away from N8; I26 denotes an abutting pin fixed to H8; I21 denotes a spiral cam which can be rotated by operating the knob I28; I29 denotes a spring which maintains I26 applied against I21; I30 denotes a graduated dial integral with I28; I3! denotes a circular indicating line which is traced on H8 and which is used as an index for the readings made upon I30; I49 denotes a milled knob which can rotate around an axle I50 which is mounted upon I I1 and which carries an eccentric wheel I5I. on which the pawl I23 pivots; I52 denotes an indicating arrow traced on I49 in order to render it possible to gauge the magnitude of the displacement communicated to I I1 by operating I43.

The cam I21 being shaped in order to permit of displacing I I8 through an angle equal to that cor responding to the width of a. tooth, it will be obvious that the beginning of the audition can be adjusted at will, and it will be noted that this tandem association of two adjusting systems I23, I21 rendering possible a fine relative adjustment, presents the advantage of uniting very great precision with very great rapidity of operation.

It will further be seen that by operating hi9, it is possible to communicate small movements to H1, which will render it possible, by taking the audition itself as a guide, to correct, in case of need, all the small deviations which might arise (for example in case of displacement of the axis of the turntable carrying the record) and to ensure the correct resumption of the audition, whilst having always for each paragraph the same marks, both on H8 and on I30.

As an alternative, I49 might be replaced by a simple screwmounted upon I26 the end of which might be supported by cam I21.

From Fig. 8 it will be seen that, in its descending movement, the member I2 places itself exactly along the bisector of the angle formed by I5 and I I5. It is, moreover, seen that in order to prevent all danger of scratching the record it is only necessary to make the distance d sufficiently great to ensure that the needle is completely removed from the record before I2 can engage with I3. It must be noted that by giving a sufiicient width to the opening of the notch constituted by the two guiding slopes I5 and H5, it will be possible to pass from the first paragraph to the last, or the contrary, without it being necessary to act upon the gramophone arm.

It should also be noted that the marks of the graduation carried by I I8 are continued inwards to facilitate the reading in front of the. index constituted by the extremity of the arm of the marking of the passage in course of audition. This marking will be in particular very useful in order to obtain, during a recapitulation, the immediate taking up again of a predetermined passage.

In order to be able to use to the best advantage the mechanism serving to adjust with precision the beginning of each audition, it is convenient to mark upon dial I30, ten equi-distant indicating lines and to shape cam I21, in such manner that the displacement communicated to sector H8, by passing upon I30, from division I to division I0, is the same as the displacementv obtained by displacing pawl I23 by one tooth upon sector II8.

It is then only necessary to mark on the written text corresponding to the studied record, the words with which the audition begins when, the graduation of I30 being maintained at zero, I23 is placed successively in the difierent notches of sector II 8.

It is, in fact, always easy to estimate, in tenths of the interval comprised between two successive markings, the position of the word with which the paragraph which it is desired to study begins. In order to facilitate this estimation, it is possible, to transcribe the text in question by arranging it in such a way that each line corresponds, for example, to twotenths of the interval comprised between two successive markings.

In Figure 10, 39 denotes a lever which is pivoted around 46, which bears a locking hook 4| and which is constantly under the influence of a spring 32; 43 denotes a receptacle containing needles in stock, M denotes a cap which is adapted to rotate around l5 and which is held down by M against the action of a spring which constantly tends to lift it; I32 denotes a cam driven by the gramophone motor, which turns around 33' and turns through a complete revolution during the time corresponding to the wearing out of a needle (for example, 5 to 10 minutes); 833 denotes a lever which is adapted to pivot around I 34 and which is maintained applied against I32 by a spring 35; I 36 denotes a spring member which is fixed to I33 and which carries at its extremity a heavy bob I31.

' It will be seen that the rotation of I32 will cause at regular intervals (each time that it is convenient to change the needle) a sudden impulse to be applied to the bob I31 which will have the result of 44 being raised by its spring. It will, moreover, be seen that immediately after it has been raised, 44 can again be maintained by 4| in its closing position.

From Figure 11, wherein I30 denotes the operating knob which acts upon I I8, and I39 denotes a volume control knob, it will be seen how the different pieces before mentioned may be arranged in order to facilitate the adjusting operations. In this figure the reference numerals II, M: and 45 denote the same parts as those indicated in the other figures by these reference numerals, and the reference numeral I 38 denotes the control knob of the screw shaft 78.

In Figure 12, I48 denotes a box containing the gramophone mechanism; I 4| denotes the cover of MO; I 32 denotes an electric lamp provided with alight-shade mounted at the extremity of a foldable support I43, the folding operation of which controls a switch Hi l, the current being led up to the lamp on the one hand, by a hinge member I 45 and on the other hand, by a supporting member I 46, which maintains the cover lifted; M1 and I 48 denote two spools which are used for winding up the conductors before closing down the gramophone box.

It will be noted that the lamp is so arranged as to illuminate the Whole What is claimed is: 1. In a sound reproducing machine, a rotatable support for a sound record thereon and means for set of graduations.

rotating it, a sound reproducer and an arm supporting it for lateral movement across a record on the support, said reproducer being also mounted for movement toward and away from operative engagement with said record, and means for automatically moving said reproducer and the arm supporting it through a repetitive cycle to repeat any selected passage of the record, said means including an adjustable cam cooperating with said arm to determinethe starting position of the arm and reproducer at which the reproducer is moved into operative engagement with the record at the beginning of the selected passage, said arm having a part engaging said cam to swing the arm and reproducer laterally to, and hold it in, the starting position in the movement of the reproducer away from operative engagement with the record.

2. In a sound reproducing machine, a rotatable support for a sound record thereon and means for rotating it, a sound reproducer and an arm supporting it for lateral movement across a record on the support, said reproducer being also mounted for movement toward and away from operative engagement with said record, and means for automatically moving said reproducer and the arm supporting it through a repetitive cycle to repeat any selected passage of the record, said means including an adjustable cam cooperating with said arm to determine the starting position of the arm and reproducer at which the reproducer is moved into operative engagement with the record at the beginning of the selected passage, said arm having a part engaging said cam to swing the arm and reproducer laterally to, and hold it in, the starting position in the movement of the reproducer away from operative support for a sound record thereon and means for rotating it, a sound reproducer supported for lateral movement across a record on the support and for movement toward and away from operative engagement with said record and means for automatically moving said through a repetitive cycle to repeat any selected passage of the record, said means including an adjustable abutment cooperating with the reproducer when it is out of operative engagement with the record to determine the position at which the reproducer is moved into operative engagement with the record at the beginning of the selected passage, said abutment being adjustable at any time in the repetitive cycle and without action on. the reproducer while the same reproducer is in operative engagement with the record, said means further including a driven shaft, an electric motor for driving said shaft, a cam'on said shaft for effecting the approach and separation movements of said reproducer and record, and a clutch for connecting said cam to the shaft, a switch for controlling said motor and manually operable means controlling said switch and clutch, and movable to three different positions, said manually operable means when moved to one position opening the switch and stopping the motor, in another position leaving the switch closed and the motor running but releasing the clutch, and in a third position out of operative relation to the clutch and switch, in which position the repeat means can operate continuously.

5. In a sound reproducing machine, a rotatable support for a sound record thereon and means for rotating it, a sound reproducer and an arm supporting it for lateral movement across a record on the support, said reproducer being also mounted for movement away from and toward operative engagement with said record, and means for automatically moving said reproducer and the arm supporting it through a repetitive cycle to repeat any selected passage of the record, said means including a motor driven shaft, a rotary cam mounted thereon, a clutch for intermittently connecting said cam to the shaft, a

connection between said cam and arm for causing the separation and approach movements of the reproducer and record during the rotation of the cam, and a chronometric device automatically controlling the time for throwing in said clutch independently of the movement of the arm, and a manually operable means for rendering the chronometric device inoperative, a manually operable lever for throwing in the clutch, said lever projecting into the path of an arm swinging with the reproducer, said arm carrying a stop so related to the reproducer as to engage the lever to stop the lateral swing of the reproducer at the end of the record.

6. In a sound reproducing machine, a rotatable support for a sound record thereon and means for rotating it, a sound reproducer and an arm supporting it for lateral movement across a record on the support, said reproducer being also mounted for movement away from and toward operative engagement with said record, and means for automatically moving said reproducer and the arm supporting it through a repetitive cycle to repeat any selected passage of the record, said means including a motor driven shaft, a rotary cam mounted thereon, a clutch for intermittently connecting said cam to the shaft, a connection between said cam and arm for causing the separation and approach movements of the reproducer and record during the rotation of the cam, and a chronometric device automatically controlling the time for throwing in said clutch independently of the movement of the arm, and a manually operable means for throwing out the chronometric device, a manually operable lever for throwing in the clutch, said lever projecting into the path of an arm swinging with the reproducer, said arm carrying a stop so related to the reproducer as to engage the lever to stop the lateral swing of the reproducer at the end of a record, and fine adjustment means for accurately adjusting said stop with relation to said swinging arm, said adjustment means including a dial and pointer to readily make visible the position of the 'stop.

JOSEPH LOUIS ROUTIN. 

